Honda workers in Swindon affirm loyalty to the company despite proposal to close by 2021

PROUD Honda workers have affirmed their commitment to the company which last week told them it would be closing the South Marston plant.

Despite the shocking news on Tuesday which could see 3,500 workers out of work by 2021, many spoke about their loyalty to the manufacturer.

Chris Morgan, who started at Honda in 2010 when he was 19, said: "I was devastated really, I expected to stay there until retirement. I expected to go all the way through and just move up through the ranks.

"There's not that many jobs that pay as well as they do and look after their staff."

He said he was happy to return to work after the announcement, despite working in an empty factory amongst more sombre co-workers.

He added: "It's mixed, people around my age looking for a career, they are more bitter.

"Where as you have a lot of people who were close to retirement and aren't far off. Some are walking round like Cheshire cats, some are miserable as sin."

He said he has already had interest from a company through a friend but wanted to remain at Honda to stay until the expected closure.

"After thinking about it there is almost something a bit weird about going all the way to the end," he said.

"It depends on the redundancy package, but I would go all the way to the end, and I think most people are thinking the same.

"There's a lot of loyalty there. Some people have worked there for 30 years. Everybody lives and breathes Honda.

"The businesses has treated me well, I understand how the business is working, this has come from beyond the plant in Swindon, it has come from Japan.

"I'm always proud to say what I do and where I work. I get paid well and I consider myself quite lucky, despite what other people are saying."

Graham Toon, who has worked on the production line for around 16 years, said workers had stuck with the plant through thick and thin.

He recorded a version of the Starship hit We Built this City, replacing the last word with Civic, to give a morale boost to workers at the end of a difficult week.

"We are putting our bodies on the line to do this job," he told the Adver, "we used to built 400 cars a shift.

"I'm not going to jump ship," he added, "firstly for my pension but I'm faithful and loyal to the company.

"We will always do the best we can right to the end, and who knows, maybe they will change their minds.

"That's why it's sad because these people are really going to miss Honda because they appreciate their jobs."

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